Click the image for a full-size view.

Note the similar layout, same search results, same wording, same abbreviations, same pretty much everything, except the colors, theme, and a few minor layout differences. The results are so similar, it appears they may be using even the same database. One notable difference in the search results is that Orbitz returns 250 results, whereas CheapTickets returns 150. But in both cases it could be an arbitrary cutoff.

Here are some free resources I’ve been using lately.

• Livemocha: Practice Spanish (and other languages) with real people from around the world. They grade your Spanish, and you grade their English. It’s a lot of fun. Here is my profile.
• Coffee Break Spanish: This is a free podcast that covers the basic of the language. Each lesson is about 15 minutes long. The hosts are professional and fun. Download to your computer, or put it on your iPhone or iPod touch.
• Google Translate: Use this to quickly check your usage, learn new words and phrases, etc. Note: Sometimes it may not understand your usage correctly, and therefore can give a poor translation. But usually it is square on, and often lists alternate ways to translate the expression. There is a button that allows you to quickly reverse translating English-to-Spanish or vice versa.
• Free classes may be available in your area. I was happy when a free class was recently launched at my workplace. It is great to be in a classroom setting where your questions can be answered, and you can hear other people practicing. Check schools, classifieds, Google, grocery store bulletin boards, etc., to see what may be available.

I first became acquainted with this work in the book Against the Night: Living in the New Dark Ages, by Charles Colson, in which the excerpt below is fully printed. That book had a profound impact on my teenage views of culture and society. I’ve read this poem so many times that I have it nearly memorized.

You can read an enlightening commentary on this poem, its meaning and origin, at Lecture 21: The Ballad of the White Horse.

The Ballad of the White Horse

(Excerpt)

by G. K. Chesterton

The men of the East may spell the stars,
And times and triumphs mark,
But the men signed of the cross of Christ
Go gaily in the dark . . .

The wise men know what wicked things
Are written on the sky,
They trim sad lamps, they touch sad strings,
Hearing the heavy purple wings,
Where the forgotten seraph kings
Still plot how God shall die . . .

But you and all the kind of Christ
Are ignorant and brave,
And you have wars you hardly win
And souls you hardly save.

I tell you naught for your comfort,
Yea, naught for your desire,
Save that the sky grows darker yet
And the sea rises higher.

Night shall be thrice night over you,
And heaven an iron cope.
Do you have joy without a cause,
Yea, faith without a hope?

* * *

I know, it sounds a bit depressing. But it actually conveys a motivational message. Why do we fight? Is it for the reward of victory itself, or because our cause is itself good? Is there danger in fighting with “too much” courage — that is, presumption or carelessness? In the epic poem itself, these words prompt King Alfred to fight bravely against the odds — and win. And those are just the kinds of wins we need in our darkly clouded world.

Receiving the Word, by Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

A thorough and convincing study on the nature of inspiration and the trustworthiness of the Bible. Shows the far-reaching implications of “higher criticism” in Bible study. Includes an eye-opening look at the challenges to our SDA beliefs posed by “progressive” Adventists in academic and theological circles, as well as answers to common objections and explanations of common “problem texts.” It deals directly with many of the so-called errors, contradictions, and discrepancies in the Bible that are used to justify unbiblical beliefs and practices today.

Besides dealing with the theological-philosophical issues of higher criticism and skepticism toward inspiration, the book also touches upon the following contemporary debates which hinge on our view of the authority of Scripture:

• Use of alcohol
• Homosexuality/lesbianism
• Origins (Darwinism)
• Integrity of our doctrinal foundations (prophecy, atonement, etc.)
• Dress and adornment
• Women’s roles in the home and in church
• and more

Dr. Samuel Koranteng-Pipim is a frequent and admired presenter at events like Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC), and is widely read or listened to within Adventist circles.

368 pages.

Available from Amazon.com and other outlets.

Freedom of Simplicity, by Richard Foster

Is your life a ceaseless round of conflicting demands and more tasks than one person can accomplish? Does your family, church, or community impose burdens on you that you feel you can no longer bear? Do you long for the peace and joy of knowing that you are doing the will of God? If the answer to any of these questions is Yes, then this book is for you! Excellent reading, full of practical Bible-based counsel.

Freedom of Simplicity, paperback

You can believe a man is committed to a cause when he is willing to lay down his life — literally, willing to die — for the cause’s sake. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran theologian who was martyred during World War II in Germany for the sake of Christianity and the German people. His story is movingly told in the video Hanged on a Twisted Cross. (There is also a dramatized version, Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace, which I have not seen yet.)

Bonhoeffer wrote a number of books. The one I’m reviewing here is The Cost of Discipleship, one of his best-loved classics.

Overview

At some point those of us who call ourselves Christians face the question of what being a Christian is all about. Is it living for ideas, doctrines, and theologies, and defending them against skeptics and other proselytizers? Is it understanding conspiracies, prophecies, and hidden knowledge? Is it feeling good about ourselves? Is it a moral, ethical, or holistic lifestyle? Is it ministering, witnessing, caring, or doing good deeds? Is it simply a ticket to heaven when we reach the end of the road? At times Christianity may take the form of any of these things, and sometimes it can be confusing to sort it all out. Is there a unifying view that brings it all together?

In The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer takes up the task of showing what Christianity really is at its foundation, and how that affects the various ways we live out our Christian lives.

In a nutshell, Bonhoeffer shows that Christianity is all about discipleship — and not merely the church or fellow Christians discipling one another, but being discipled by Jesus Christ Himself. It is a teacher–student (master–disciple) relationship between Christ and each believer. Of course, this idea may seem unsettling to some, perhaps a little too personal or ultra-spiritual. But if there’s one thing this book does, it is showing that true Christianity can be no less than that. Mere cultural Christianity is worthless, and better discarded sooner than later.

The book is divided into four sections:

1. Grace and Discipleship (five chapters)
2. The Sermon on the Mount (fifteen chapters)
3. The Messengers (six chapters)
4. The Church of Jesus Christ and the Life of Discipleship (six chapters)

The first section, “Grace and Discipleship,” deals with what it means to be a follower of Christ in the first place. Who is called, and how? And what does it mean to accept the call? This section is powerful and practical.

The second section is by far the longest, and it is very rich. Bonhoeffer takes on each section of the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew chapters 5–7, with practical insight. In his view, the Sermon on the Mount defines much of the day-to-day walk of a Christian-disciple’s life.

Part three, “The Messengers,” deals with the evangelistic aspect of discipleship. Bonhoeffer does not fear to tell his readers that spreading the Good News could be very costly — it might even cost their lives. Yet he reminds us that the reward of soul-winning is well worth the cost.

The final part deals with various miscellaneous questions of baptism, church order, and growing into the image of Christ.

Conclusions

This is one of my favorite Christian books.

I have not yet found a modern book with a better explanation of the interrelationship between grace, faith, works, and obedience. Perhaps you’ve heard the expression “cheap grace”; according to various sources, Bonhoeffer is the one who coined the term. In this book he presents the alternative to this counterfeit grace, which he calls “costly grace.” And this costly grace is what gives the book its title, The Cost of Discipleship. If you want clear statements about why obedience is necessary — even though we are saved by grace through faith — then Chapter 2, “The Call to Discipleship,” is worth the cost of the book. It is really that good. In fact, the whole first section is excellent.

I found the “Memoir” section at the front of the book, before the “Introduction,” to be a bit long and dry. However, being the kind of person who tries to read books cover-to-cover, I did read it. It has some interesting parts, but if you find yourself dozing off, you may want to skip it. (It does contain a few examples of Bonhoeffer’s sublime and evocative poetry.)

The book does have some difficult passages. In general, I found it clear and presented in laymen’s terms. However, Bonhoeffer does not hesitate to throw in some Greek here and there. There are sections that are not exactly light reading. But persistence pays off, and in the end the committed reader is rewarded.

I must say that as a Seventh-day Adventist, there were some doctrinal statements peculiar to Lutheranism that I disagreed with. But I do not consider them major problems, nor were they a significant part of the book.

Because so much of this book is about the Sermon on the Mount, I would recommend it as a good companion study book for Ellen White’s Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing.

I must confess that I do not feel I have reached the standard of Christianity described in this book; nevertheless, I feel it is an accurate and vivid picture of what Christian faith is meant to be.

Discipleship Journal named C. S. Lewis one of the most important Christian authors of the 1900s. Some credit him as being the single most popular Christian author of that century.

My first exposure to Lewis was reading his Chronicles of Narnia series when I was around age 11 or 12. I read every book of the series except A Horse and His Boy, and enjoyed them. I was very captivated by fantasy literature, and it was an intriguing, well-written collection. The stories uphold moral values (self-sacrifice, honor, integrity, courage, etc.), and there is a clear line drawn between good and evil. Of course, they also contain many magical and mythological elements.

Because of Lewis’ connection to this set of popular fiction, many conservative Christians shy away from reading his works. In my opinion, this is unfortunate.

Lewis’ other books include Mere Christianity (reviewed here), The Abolition of Man (why schools need to teach objective truth), The Problem of Pain (why pain exists in a universe created by a God of love), The Four Loves (examines four types of love: storge — affection, philia — friendship, eros — sexual or romantic love, and agape — selfless love), and many more.

Of these, so far I have read only Mere Christianity. Over the years I had read so many inspiring and challenging statements penned or spoken by Lewis’ that I really wanted to explore his writings. However, I initially had reservations about where the book might lead. I thought he might go off into wild philosophical speculations or branch into humanism or New Age-type beliefs — not because I had known him to do that elsewhere, but just because of the subject matter and what I know of his fictitious works. But in the end I fell in love with this book as a very practical and beautifully worded treatise on Christian faith.

Overview

This book is written in four sections, which Lewis calls “books.” These sections are as follows: “Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe,” five chapters; “What Christians Believe,” five chapters; “Christian Behaviour,” twelve chapters; and “Beyond Personality: or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity,” eleven chapters.

The first two sections are written to introduce atheists, agnostics, and people of other religions to Christianity (a class of writing known as apologetics). These chapters are intended to show that, even apart from belief in the Bible, Christianity is rational and in harmony with reality as we know it. If you do not care much about the reasons why Christianity makes sense at this level, you may want to skip these two sections. However, the last chapter of the second section, “The Practical Conclusion,” is well worth your time.

The last two sections were unquestionably my favorites. The chapters “The Great Sin” (pride), “Charity” (Christian love), the second of two chapters called “Faith” (dealing with the old faith-and-works issue), and all of the chapters in the last section are profound, beautiful, and very practical. Lewis handles many important topics with clarity and grace, including perfection, humility, what it means to be in Christ, Christian marriage, forgiveness, free will, being born again, and much more.

Content

There are a few things some Christians will dislike within this book: the author’s belief that moderate drinking is acceptable, that Christians need not be noncombatants, that full character perfection is merely an aim in this life (although a very important aim), the theory of evolution that is assumed true in the last chapter, and perhaps a few other odd items here and there. However, none of these are major points of the book, only side issues that can be easily “winked at” when one can see through to the valid points being made. Ironically, the chapter that began with talk of evolution actually proved to be one of the most inspiring and profound for me, once he got past that part.

Except for the character perfection issue mentioned above, Lewis comes out very strongly in defense of character perfection as something God wants from us. Christian morality is a very important theme in this book, and Lewis goes to great lengths to show it is not mere “niceness” or relative goodness that God is expecting from us, but the complete Christ-life in us, and death to self.

Those who are looking for theological or doctrinal support material will find some good stuff here: Lewis shows how free will is compatible with God’s omniscience, why evil exists, why God gave us free choice, what practical conclusions we can draw about the Three-Personal Godhead, and more.

Conclusion

One thing you will like about this book is that the chapters are short and easy to read. You could easily slip one chapter in right next to your regular devotional or other book reading with little effort. The thoughts are profound, though, and you may want to devote more time just to reflect on the vastness of what the author is saying.

All in all, I highly recommend this book. I give it five stars.

[Note: This review was written on January 27, 2001.]

Every once in a while I hear a song that is so beautiful I can’t help but listen to it over and over. This is one those songs: “Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting,” sung by Alisa Dishong. Here is a 45-second sample in MP3 format:

[audio:surrender-04-Jesus-I-Am-Resting-Resting.mp3]

It is a really amazing arrangement of an old hymn. And Alisa’s voice is full of feeling and conviction. It sounds like she really believes what she is singing.

You can preview or purchase the track in iTunes here. I also liked two other songs on the same album, “How Could I Ask for More” and “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”

(Sometimes e-mail applications and RSS clients strip out the MP3 player. If you do not see the button for playing the sample, visit my website.)

This video, Unlocking the Mystery of Life, explores some of the reasons why science itself lends credibility to non-naturalistic explanations for the origin of life. In particular, it focuses on the ideas of irreducible complexity (organs that have value only in their complex, complete forms) and DNA as information (the nature of genetic code as both irregular and highly specific—markers of intelligent design). It also looks at some of the known problems with alternate explanations for how life might have begun from non-life, as well as clarifying the intelligent design view of evolutionary theory.

(Contrary to what is constantly implied in the media and in various discussion groups, nearly all creationists believe in at least some aspects of evolution. There is really not a significant creation-versus-evolution debate, but only a debate about origins, natural history, and the capacity of evolution to explain the myriad forms of life—in other words, the scope and application of evolution. However, creationists sometimes hurt themselves by engaging all unbiblical theories of origins in their attacks on “evolution.”)

This video features short interviews with various scientists who support “intelligent design”—mainly various scientists associated with the Discovery Institute, such as Michael Behe, William Dembski, and Phillip Johnson. It also makes extensive use of 3D graphics to illustrate some of the fundamental concepts, along with nature footage and video from microscope.

The segments illustrating the flagellum rotor in bacteria, protein folding, and DNA sequencing were the most amazing. What happens at that microscopic level is truly incredible.

Overall, I thought it was a top-quality production. For those wanting more information, I highly recommend the book The Wedge of Truth by Phillip Johnson, which delves into the concept of DNA as information in more detail, as well as explaining the shortcomings of naturalistic materialism. (I owned this book, but loaned it to someone, and it was never seen again! But I thoroughly enjoyed it.)

* * *

I was a bit nervous about starting with this one, but the title begins with “A,” so there you have it. It isn’t my all-time favorite album or anything. It just happens to be my first review.

Amarantine, by Enya

I didn’t buy all the tracks on this album; in particular I skipped tracks 1, 2, 5, and 8. The nice thing about buying music on iTunes is that you can choose which tracks you want. (Of course, you get only 30-second previews, so it’s still sometimes hit-and-miss.)

Enya is one of those artists who produces some really beautiful songs, but also some songs that I would never listen to. This album, Amarantine, is one of her latest. The songs seem to have a more pensive, wistful, nostalgic, remorseful, hopeful theme to them — and in that same vein, some of her more gentle, flowing music.

I’m not going to describe every track. You can listen to them on iTunes or wherever you like to buy music. LIke most Enya albums, there is a mix of songs with English lyrics, Gaelic/other language lyrics, and instrumental pieces. If you don’t like new age or Celtic-inspired music, you probably won’t like this. On the other hand, if those genres are among your favorites, Enya is an artist worth checking out.

The final track, “Water Shows the Hidden Heart,” is a song I find incredibly beautiful. I’m always tempted to play it again each time I hear it. The lyrics are not in English, and I have no idea what the meaning of the lyrics is. But it has the most amazing harmonies. At about 1:40 into the song there is a really beautiful segue that I totally adore, that lasts about 35 seconds. I’m actually listening to it right now … it is sooo amazing! Beautiful.

There are a couple touching love-related songs on this album. “If I Could Be Where You Are” is a song of longing for a (physically or emotionally) distant love. “A Moment Lost” is probably one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful sad songs I’ve heard. Here are the lyrics:

It’s only now when words are said
that break my heart in two,
I wonder how you can endure
all I’ve said, all I say to you.

How strong, how brave, how true of you
to bear the hurt I gave.
I know it tears your heart in two;
all I’ve said, all I say to you.

After all the words are said,
after all the dreams we made:
every one a precious one,
every one a summer sun…

A moment lost, forever gone
can never be again,
so know how much it means to me;
all you said,
all you gave,
all your love to me.

“Long, Long Journey” describes the sense of hope and optimism of someone beginning a long sea voyage  home. “Amid the Falling Snow” is a cute and sweet song reminiscing about childhood memories of a winter night’s snowfall.

Through an unfortunate string of circumstances, William and his family were left nearly destitute when they arrived in India from England. They had to abandon their original English home in Calcutta for a much humbler abode. Later they moved far from Calcutta and set up residence with a new acquaintance.

One of the pivotal moments in William’s life was witnessing sati. The prohibition of sati became one of his three personal goals for his mission in India.

William being restrained from rescuring a woman compelled to commit sati:

Relocating upriver with his family:

Because the British East India Company wanted the best possible relations with the natives, missionary work was forbidden. William and his fellow missionaries were harassed by the British government, and to some extent had to work in secret, until they came under protection of the Dutch colony at Serampore.

One of the great tragedies in William’s story is the emotional breakdown and eventual insanity of his wife, after the loss of their youngest son to sickness. However, William believed commiting his wife to an asylum would be a violation of his marriage vows, and despite an attempt by her to kill him, he refused to leave her. Eventually she died, which must have come as a bittersweet relief.

William’s wife Dorothy in one of her insane fits:

Despite the hardships at home, William pressed on. He was greatly encouraged when a new batch of missionaries arrived and invited him to join with them.

William baptizing a Hindu convert:

William’s missionary partners established schools for both boys and girls:

A year after his first wife’s death, William married Charlotte, who turned out to be a much more suitable partner:

Undoubtedly the pinacle of William’s achievements was the translation of the Bible into Bengali and other languages, and the printing of it in the local languages and dialects:

This is a video I’d freely recommend. It’s about 1 hour and 30 minutes in length, so would make a nice evening vespers movie. I cannot vouch for its historical accuracy in detail, but it seems to align well with some other accounts I’ve heard and read.

From the day I lined up my toy cars on the second shelf — each one not only in line, but also in a specific parking spot that it held exclusively from then on — all the way through high school and college, I pursued orderliness with a zeal as strong as anyone I knew. One of my first rules was the mantra, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Once I was happy with an arrangement, I seldom changed it. If you had snapped a photo of my dorm room on the first day of classes, and compared it with another taken on graduation weekend, you might not have noticed any difference. [Edit: I should be clear that orderliness does not require that arrangements be static; however, constant change does interfere with orderliness.]

Orderliness is not just an ideal. It is a way of life that has tangible rewards, from garnering the respect of fellow students and faculty, to being able to find some obscure item in a rush or in the blackness of a power failure, to having the answer to a coworker’s question at your fingertips, to the peace of seeing your personal space as a well-ordered machine and not as the scene of a perverse scavenger hunt through an endlessly shifting mass of stuff.

With orderliness, one thing easily leads to another: Shirts all facing the same direction. Dress shirts here, casual shirts there. Subdivide the casuals — short sleeves, mock turtlenecks, collars. Shirts that have been worn once, on a different colored hanger. My music is arranged by genre (religious, classical, holiday), then alphabetically. Books by subject, and those I’ve read separate from those I haven’t. Software applications are in virtual folders according to function. Incoming email is automatically tagged with colors and keywords, and sorted into folders by rules I’ve set up.

I’m addicted such that it sometimes spills over into others’ lives. I spent part of one holiday sorting my mom’s pantry: canned veggies here, fruit there; everything grouped by varieties and brands. Another holiday I sorted all the books in the library of a small Bible worker school, and labeled all the shelves by subject. Just recently I cleaned and sorted my mom’s bathroom closet and kitchen storage (women have some really weird stuff!).

Flash forward to the present: Some years ago, I’m not even sure when or precisely how,* various elements of chaos begin to appear in my life. Clothes piled up, the dishes went unwashed, email accumulated for months, magazines and books overflowed desks and spilled out across the floor, bank statements piled up unopened for six months or more at a time. You get the picture. Still, there was some level of organization, subtle and esoteric: I knew this pile contained something, and this other pile something else. I made to-do lists, sorted by project and priority. Yet the lists kept getting longer, the piles bigger, my life less satisfying. [*Pouring a lot of energy into a relationship that ultimately flops is a good way to throw yourself into a tailspin, and there are other methods equally effective — but I digress.]

As my life became more complicated, and I seemed to fall ever further behind, I looked for ways to get out of this spiral. Sometimes the solution seemed to be to buckle down, focus, try harder. But that set me on a collision course with new priorities ascending in my life: social interaction, exercise, projects. I didn’t want to be a “Martha” (Luke 10:40–42), always busy keeping things in order, but missing out on life. But neither did I want anything in my little world to fall into disarray. It seemed to be such a fragile balance, a little too gray for my exacting mind.

I tried Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits” formula. It was helpful, but a little too abstract and old-fashioned for my tastes. Still, the key ideas are worth absorbing, especially “First things first.” And I must confess that I never read his best-selling book, although I’ve used his workbooks and software. I also looked at the “personal mission statement” philosophy. Again, good, but not a full solution.

One concept that helped me a lot was multitasking. I’m not sure where I found it, or if I developed it in my own mind. But the key idea is this: The multitasking I’m talking about is not reading a book while you’re talking on the cell phone as you’re driving to work. That’s called, “Cruising for an insurance adjustment.” The multitasking I’m talking about is doing a single task in such a way that it accomplishes multiple goals. For example, if you want to learn Spanish, and grow spiritually, you could try reading a Spanish Bible. You might catch a new nuance of word that never struck you the same in an English Bible, for example, and thus gain a fresh insight into what God has said while learning a new language. Or you could invite friends over for a meal, and thus try a new dish you’ve been itching to make, and yet also get to socialize as well. You could listen to a podcast while walking for exercise (or walking to work). I hope you get the picture. The idea is not to add complexity by doing competing tasks at once, but to find tasks that could naturally blend together so your life is more fluid and efficient.

Another step in the right direction was adopting a principle of staying current — and only current. In order words, when a new Lands’ End catalog arrived in the mail, I would immediately toss the old one. I began clearing my inbox by deciding to read at least as many (or more) emails as arrived that day, and respond to those ones or delete them immediately. (I must admit that I did not, and still do not, always respond immediately to emails, because I am the type of person to write and rewrite messages until I get them perfect, or until it’s 12:15 in the morning and I need to get to bed.)

I also identified another problem: I had too many inputs for my poor mind to handle. Between home and work I had three email inboxes on three computers, two physical mailing addresses, three phone numbers (and voice mails), at least six computer and desk calendars (not counting anything on the wall), perhaps dozens of to-do lists on multiple computers, as well as other inputs (verbal requests made in passing, sticky notes on my desk, and so forth) that were sometimes slipping through the cracks. Critical requests and reminders could pop up anywhere, and with so much “noise” it was easy to miss one. I realized that some of these I could not eliminate. However, there was definitely room for improvement.

I had been some months in the process of trying to streamline this system, when I ran across an awesome book that has helped me a great deal: Getting Things Done, by David Allen. If you do a Google search for “getting things done,” you are sure to find a wealth of resources. David’s book is extremely popular, having achieved almost cult-like status. Many refer to the system by the acronym GTD, as I do now. A host of spin-off GTD books, websites, and software is out there for the taking. However, I highly recommend you read David’s book.

The book is very practical and easy to read. The basic premise of the book is that you cannot rely on priorities and mission statements to get you through the inundation of tasks related to so many jobs in our knowledge-oriented society. You need methods and tools that will help you get new tasks off your mind, and into a trusted system of reminders where nothing can slip through. You need a system that is so easy to use that in the heat of your busiest day you are not tempted to skirt it. It needs to be simple, quick, and thorough, able to handle every type of task and project timeframe. The book also presents a very useful paradigm for how to think of tasks and projects (a task is anything you do — write a report, call a coworker, take your spouse to dinner — and a project is any goal that is achieved through more than one task), and presents a conceptual workflow that anyone can implement and use. It is presented, not as a way to handle the challenges of a certain job or career, but as a way of life in the information age, encompassing both your personal and professional tasks.

Since implementing David’s GTD system, my home and personal productivity has dramatically improved. Of course, nothing is magic about it; it requires work and dedication. But it has helped me be more productive with less stress. And that in itself is very energizing.

Some software applications that help me are Apple’s iCal (for appointments and visualizing project timeframes), OmniOutliner (for managing to-do lists — such an awesome application!), OmniPlan (for orchestrating the busiest months of the year when my department staff are spread very thin and lots of things are happening simultaneously), and Sciral Consistency (a really cool application for those tasks that need to be done regularly, but don’t have definite due dates or times). If your needs are simple, a single program like Outlook or Entourage may be sufficient. In my workflow I use Outlook (on my Windows computer) and Entourage (on my Macs) to schedule recurring appointments that I don’t want to see in my calendar. When they pop up, I either do them immediately, or else immediately add them to my OmniOutliner to-do list. Either way, I instantly dismiss the Outlook/Entourage reminder, whether the task is done or not. Each day I look at my to-do list, and put the tasks for that day into my calendar with reminders. I shoot off emails and calls to people I’m waiting on. And then I focus on what I can do. At the start and end of each day I also review the Consistency program to see how well I’m doing in personal areas, and what trends or slips need adjustment.

The benefits of this system are that I have only one to-do list at home and one at work, which is sorted automatically by due date, so that earliest due dates are always at the top. Each to-do item is a task, not a project. This keeps me on track when multiple projects are current, and forces me to determine what the actual tasks of a project are — nothing is left ambiguous (if I don’t know, the task is to find out). My calendar programs put pop-up reminders on my screen whenever I need to change focus, so I don’t have to worry about what is coming up and can focus on the task at hand.

One habit I highly recommend for everyone is emptying your email inbox entirely, every day. You say you can’t deal with everything the day it arrives? Then decide what you will do, and when, and schedule it. If you’re not sure, then schedule a reminder to think about it again later. And then delete the email. If the email requires a response, hit the reply button, save a draft you can finish later, make yourself a reminder in your calendar to finish it, and then delete the original email. If your inbox is habitually full, the sight of a clean inbox will probably give you such a feeling of accomplishment you will be immediately energized. Keep it that way.

I am now only about halfway through reading the GTD book, but it has already made a dramatic change in my energy levels and confidence. Its potential benefit to you will depend on how much you need order in your life, and how willing you are to apply its concepts and suggestions. I give it my highest approval.

I recently finished reading the book, Christianizing the Roman Empire (AD 100–400), by Ramsay MacMullen (Yale University Press). In it, the author traces the means by which Christianity—a minor, persecuted sect—rose to power, and eventually to domination, within the Roman Empire. I found his account sometimes challenging to my preconceptions, but also fairly even handed and well documented. In some instances MacMullen comes across as sympathetic to the Christian cause, while at other times he takes a more critical view. It is obvious, not only from this book but also from other historical works, that much of the criticism leveled at Christian political power playing in those early centuries is well deserved. I could not help but feel some sympathy for the pagans at each advancing step towards their defeat.

Of course, it deserves stating that, as the author concludes and as all Seventh-day Adventists know, paganism was not truly eradicated. Instead it was slowly absorbed into the Christian Church. I had long wondered how this came about. While there were undoubtedly many factors at play, one prominent factor was that, in the pagans’ eyes, joining the church was a matter of cultural, political, economic, and sometimes even physical survival. From the viewpoint of the leading Christian leaders, it did not matter whether “in pretense or in truth” a person joined the church; it was enough that they were in.

There are many interesting points brought out in this book, including what we know from historical sources of how Christians evangelized in those days. In some respects they followed the model Jesus had given: helping the poor, ministering to the sick, spreading out from population centers to more remote regions. Yet, if the author is correct, in other respects they veered far from the true path. It appears there was a strong reliance on miracles (healings and exorcisms mostly), and that an acknowledgment of the power of the true God and Jesus Christ was counted as genuine conversion, irrespective of a knowledge of the “present truth” or of Scripture per se. In fact, it appears that the great majority of conversions involved no discipleship or Biblical instruction until after the fact, if at all.

Another fascinating point is how Christians were viewed as “atheists” because they rejected the pantheon of gods from the pagan world. From the pagan standpoint, a religion that observed only the one supreme, transcendent God was essentially atheistic, because the pagans did not believe such a God was personally involved in our world. That is, to reject all the pagan gods was, essentially, to reject personal gods. This eventually played into the Christians’ favor, when it became apparent that all the pagan gods combined were not sufficient to withstand the Christians’ religious attack. Thus, in some degree, the Christians became the champions of a superstition-free religion, apparently the only true religion. (Of course, the influx of pagans managed to bring some superstition into the Christian church.)

My favorite songs on these albums are “Chorus of Faith,” “Ready for the Storm,” “Remember Me,” “Were It Not for Grace” (awesome!), “The Strength of the Lord,” “Raining on the Inside,” and “Too Many Times.”

You can hear samples and purchase her latest album from Westney Productions.

I highly recommend it. There is some violence, mainly natives and foreigners being impaled by spears. But the gore is very minimal. I did not find the movie visually disturbing, but if you are sensitive you might need to exercise discretion.

Incidentally, two of the missionaries were Jim and Elisabeth Elliott (Elisabeth is a well-known author in Christian circles, whose books include “Passion and Purity” and “The Mark of a Man”).

You can find the DVD on Amazon.com, among other places. The music was very beautiful, too (I don’t own the audio CD, but it’s probably quite good).